Improvement in revenue-guards for cigar-boxes



2 Sheets Sh eet l.

0. T EARLE. Revenue-Guard for Cigar-Boxes.

Patented Sept. 14,1875.

:LPETmS. FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D C.

2 Sheets--Sheet 2. 0. T. EA RLE.

Revenue-Guard for Cigar-Boxes. N0, 167,752 Paiented Sept. 14,1875.

'UNTTED STATES PATENT QFETGE.

OSCAR T. EABLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVENUE'GUARDS FOR CIGAR-BOXES.

Specification forming part of LettersPatent No. 167,752, dated September14, 1875; application filed February 20, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR T. EARLE, of the city of New York, in thecounty of New York and State of New York, have invented certain newanduseful Improvements in Stamping Cigars to Prevent Frauds on the Revenue;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, in whichFigures 1 and 45 show a box of cigars with the revenue-stamps and theprotecting devices affixed, and Figs. 2, 3, and 6 sections and detachedviews of the same. Fig. 5 is a plan view, showing the ribbon passed overthe top edges of the box, as when applied to imported cigars.

The present mode of putting up cigars and affixing revenue-stamps leadsto great loss to the revenue, from the facility which it affordsirresponsible and dishonest dealers of refilling the boxes after beingwholly or partially emptied of their contents. Several devices have beeninvented having in view the prevention of such frauds, but as they havebeen either inefficient or injurious to the legitimate business of cigarmanufacturers they have failed of adoption. The object of my inventionis to put up cigars and affix revenue-stamps in such a manner that thecigar shall not be injured; that the usual handling and inspection maynot be interfered with and that it shall be impossible to reuse the boxor refill it after any of the cigars have been taken out. My invention.consists in passing over or around the cigars in the box a ribbon orstrap 'of cloth, netting, wire, or other flexible fabric or material,the ends of which are passed through the box, and fixed under therevenue-stamp,

so that its removal will break the stamp, and

so that the cigars cannot be removed without cutting, breaking, ortearing out the ribbon, tape, wire, or other device which holds thecigars in the box. This arrangement permits the cigars to be inspectedand exhibited by simply opening the lid of the box without breaking theseal of the stamp; but as soon as any of the cigars are removed thisseal is broken, and cannot be restored except by a new stamp and seal.

My invention is applicable to cigar-boxes as ordinarily used either forimported or domestic manufacture. In the case of imported cigars theprotecting device is to be attached before leaving the charge of thecustoms officers but ordinarily it will be better to attach my devicesat the time the cigars are placed in the box, and as it in no wayinterferes with the usual styles of putting up cigars it will not be anyinconvenience to legitimate business. Thus the best cigars are commonlyput up in bundles, and in this case the binding ribbon or tapewhichsecures the bundles is made the protecting device. When the whole box isfilled with cigars the protecting device is placed across the top andsecured at the ends of the box.

The following descriptionwill enable others to make and use myinvention:

In the drawing, A is the cigar-box, b the protecting device, and c c thepoints at which the ends are secured to the stamp, so as to cause thebreaking of the stamp by the removal of the protecting device. In Fig. 1and in Fig. 2, which is a longitudinal vertical section of Fig. l, thestrip 1) passes over the top of the cigars, and the ends passed througha slot.in each end of the box, and secured under the stamp, as shown atc. It is obvious the stamp may be pasted upon or fixed directly to theflexible strip, instead of the several ways shown, unless thetransparent properties of the micaPwhen thatis employed-are desired tobe utilized. Fig. 3 shows the ribbon or tape I) passing around thebundles and down through a slot in the bottom, where they are securedunder the stamp, as shown in Fig. 4:. Only two bundles are shown, butany desired number may be placed in the box. Fig. 5 shows two strapspassing over the cigars. The bundles may also be bound with two or morebands, and the ends in both these modifications secured, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3. Fig. 6 shows the method of securing the ends of thestrips by passing them through a slot in the end of the box and turningdown the end, so as to be covered by the stamp or by a stamp and seal.The line d d in Fig. 1 shows a modification, consisting of a wire orthread, or a series of wiresor threads, passing twice through each endof the box, and closing the top of the box, so as to prevent the removalof cigars without first breaking the stamp or seal. The strip 2) Iprefer to make, when applied to bundle cigars, of the ordinary ribbon ortape commonly used for that .purpose. A strip of mica is very suitablewhen applied in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

Instead of these a netting of thread, silk,

wire, or any other fibrous material may be substituted without departingfrom the nature of my invention.

I am aware that slats of wood or other rigid material have been fixedacross the top of a cigar-box, the revenue-stamp being secured theretoand passing over the ends thereof, the whole permitting the box to beopenedand cigars inspected without canceling the stamp. I am also awarethat ribbons passing over the cigars, in combination with therevenue-stamp passing around the box when closed, have been used, butthis prevents the inspection of the cigars without first canceling thestamp.

My method interferes but little with. the ordinary modes of putting upcigars, and at the same time admits of inspection of the cigars withoutbreaking the stamp or permitting the removal of thecigars till they areto be taken out for consumption; and then the.

stamp is so destroyed that the box can never again be put off as a newone without having a new stamp.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as my improvement is iThe combination, in revenue guards to cigar-boxes, of a revenue-starnpofthe ordinary construction with a ribbon, tape, cord, wire bandage, orother flexible strip attached thereto, and placed under the lid, andarranged over or around the cigars in the box, the ends of such strip,tape, cord, or bandage being passed out through a slot or slots in theboxbody or over the edge of the same, and secured directly to the stampor immediately underneath and in contact with the same, sub- 'stantiallyas'and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set myhaud this16th day of December, 1873.

OSCAR T. EARLE. Witnesses:

WM. G. HENDERSON, THOMAS C. GoNNoLLY.

